Some engineers climb the ranks of large firms until they reach their dream position in the C-suite. Others relocate to new companies mid-career and often feel like they’re building back up from the foundation. Starting a new job can be difficult, especially for established engineers. Make the most of a fresh senior engineering opportunity with these tips from Engineering Search Partners.

1. Find a career you love. Diligence pays off if you love where you work. When looking for new career opportunities, find engineering firms that fall in line with your interests. Are you looking for a civil engineering firm dedicated to helping the community? A structural engineering project focusing on fresh ways to build greener structures? A electrical engineering career that will challenge you at every turn? Your job may evolve as you establish your skills with a new firm, but only if you lay the groundwork before accepting a new engineering position.

2. Relish challenges. Men and women don’t become engineers because they like the easy path. Engineers are determined, dedicated, and creative when pursuing solutions to their problems. Establishing a new engineering career – whether you’re changing positions, companies, or locations – offers a series of challenges. Face those challenges head on, proving to yourself and your new bosses than you have what it takes to excel.

3. Find opportunities for growth. If you’ve spent years with the same company, you may have gotten used to constantly using the same skills. Use your new position as an opportunity to learn and grow your engineering knowledge. New workplaces mean new mentorship, different approaches to common problems, and access to fresh education. No matter how long you’ve been a senior engineer, look at your new employment opportunity as a chance to build your professional skills.

Are you looking for an engineering career to challenge you? Are you a structural engineering firm who needs a qualified senior engineer to fill a niche position? Let Engineering Search Partners build your team so that your business can focus on building a better world.

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We all have myriad responsibilities that call for our daily attention. Problems at work, fresh engineering projects, and the job search are just a few of the tasks that may weigh on our minds this season. Thanksgiving reminds us to take a step back from struggles and stresses to appreciate the blessings, small and large, in our lives. Blessings like good food, a keen mind, and a long weekend spent with loved ones.

Whether you spend your Thanksgiving building mashed potato skyscrapers with your kids or enjoying a quiet meal with friends, take a few moments to soak in the abundance of rich moments in your life. When you step back into the real world next week, you’ll be able to do so with renewed vigor for the challenges and rewards of life.

Happy Thanksgiving from Engineering Search Partners!

Several weeks ago we discussed the myriad opportunities engineers can find when searching for a new career during the holidays. Finding a new engineering position during the holidays is advantageous because firms are looking, engineers aren’t, and engineers can take advantage of forward momentum. However, studies also show the benefits of unwinding during the holidays. Taking a break from work recharges and rejuvenates engineers, allowing them to attack problems with fresh eyes. This holiday season, don’t focus solely on work or play, but set your sights on establishing a healthy work/life balance.

The Power of Vacation

It’s everyone’s favorite “fun fact” that taking time off work is actually beneficial to overall productivity. Countless studies have proven that disconnecting from duty leaves workers rested and recharged, giving them greater clarity of mind and a renewed drive to succeed in the office. The holiday season is the perfect opportunity to step away from the stresses of an engineering career and refocus on what’s important. Taking time for family, sleep, good food, and personal hobbies just might help you tackle that insurmountable task that’s been building up at work.

Striking the Right Balance

As beneficial as vacations are to overall job satisfaction, it’s important to keep the principle in perspective. Weekends of play and a few days off for the holidays can easily spin out of control; an unproductive span between Thanksgiving and New Year’s could derail your career aspirations for another year. The holiday season falls just before a fresh quarter, making it the perfect time to finish strong at work or start fresh with a new opportunity. Whether you’re working for a promotion or searching for a new engineering career, the holidays are the best time to get a leg up on the competition. Taking time to rejuvenate during your days off will make you sharper and more focused during the work week, allowing you to push your career to new heights.

Want to cross another item off your holiday to-do list? Contact Engineering Search Partners for your engineer recruiting and staffing needs.

History and imagination have been influencing engineers since the dawn of time. Leonardo da Vinci sketched the designs for a precursor to the helicopter nearly 500 years before the first functional helicopter took flight. Before tablet computers became indispensable to traveling business people, they were a staple in the Star Trek universe. With the recent invention of a functional hoverboard (yes, you read that right) we decided it was time to analyze how science fiction has influenced modern engineering and technology.

5 Sci-Fi Gadgets That Engineers Have Actually Built

1. Star Trek replicator. Okay, we may not be to the point of instantly materializing matter, but with the invention of the 3D printer, engineers have accomplished the seemingly impossible feat of building objects straight from computer code.

2. The Iron Man suit. It may not be outfitted with Jarvis, but the military has announced that a prototype for TALOS – their version of the fast, strong, bullet-repelling exoskeleton most recently donned by Robert Downey Jr – is projected for 2018.

3. Hovercrafts are the quintessential invention imagined for futuristic worlds in sci-fi lore. The future arrived this year with the prototype for Hendo, the world’s first hoverboard, which uses magnetic fields to create lift force.

4. Drone delivery. Instant delivery of your online-ordered goods certainly seems like science fiction, but the technology has already been developed. Amazon is just one of the companies that plans to use drone delivery systems to deliver packages within the hour of each placed order. The drones will feature anti-collision technology to prevent disasters with trees, buildings, and birds.

5. Remember the robot vacuum cleaner on The Jetsons? Sounds a lot like a Roomba to us.

Are you an electrical, forensic, or structural engineer determined to push the boundaries of what we conceive as possible? Engineering Search Partners places qualified engineers with firms that will help them flourish. Fill out our Career Wish List to find a career where you can push engineering technology from “infinity” to “beyond.”

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As the holiday season approaches, most of us start contemplating all the tasks that entails. We may start mentally tallying our Christmas lists, dreaming about cooking Thanksgiving dinner and throwing festive Christmas parties, or anticipating a slower season at work. Most job hunters view the holidays as a prime opportunity to take a break and recharge. But while there’s no denying that a little R&R is beneficial to productivity, job hunters who take the holiday off are missing an enormous opportunity for finding a new career in engineering.

3 Reasons to Job Hunt during the Holidays

1. Slimmer competition. Were you planning to press “pause” on the job search until after the new year? You’re not the only one. Most job seekers assume that hiring managers aren’t looking during the holidays. That couldn’t be further from the truth. With fewer engineers applying for positions and a higher-than-average percentage of engineers quitting their jobs, there’s no better time than Thanksgiving-Christmas to get flagged as a worthwhile candidate.

2. Companies are looking. Not only does December mean more engineers turning in their two weeks’ notice, companies are already looking for fresh talent. Most companies determine their budgets for the following year in the fall, which means they know exactly how much revenue they can allot to new hires. They want a complete, trained staff to kick off the quarter come January 1st. That makes HR departments more receptive to engineering candidates, especially considering the holly, jolly holiday atmosphere.

3. Networking. Holiday parties are good for more than just eggnog. Family get-togethers, office Christmas parties, and holiday fundraisers are brimming with new career opportunities just waiting to be mined. Take advantage of your engineering network by asking about career opportunities, making new connections, and strengthening old relationships during the holiday season.

Are you looking for an engineering career for the new year? Fill out our Career Wish List form and let Engineering Search Partners find you that dream job.

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Gender equality in the workplace is a hot topic in the business world. It’s no secret that women are often overlooked for promotions, raises, and other career advancement opportunities. Nowhere is the gender imbalance clearer than in the sciences, particularly in the engineering sphere.

The Lack of Women in STEM Jobs

Studies show a startling underrepresentation of women in STEM fields. Women make up roughly 41% of graduates in science, technology, engineering, and math, but only 28% of the workforce. The problem seems to be two-fold. Studies postulate that women are less inclined to enter the engineering field because they have less access to “building toys” during early childhood development. Toys like legos, build-it rocket-ships, and tool kits are marketed toward boys. GoldieBlox, a STEM-focused toy company, hopes to close the gender gap in engineering by making toys for girls that encourage creativity and problem solving.

The second part of the problem is office culture. Women in STEM careers have been historically overlooked for their contributions to modern technology and science. And while the glass ceiling, dearth of female role-models, and lack of recognition all play a part in female engineers leaving the field, many women in STEM jobs cite the “boys club” mentality as their biggest job hurdle. Quite simply, women who try to “lean into” their structural, electrical, and forensic engineering jobs experience too much pushback to fully advance their careers.

Promoting Female Engineers

Luckily for women in engineering, the world is noticing the lack of gender equality in STEM jobs. Countless organizations have sprung up to encourage girls to pursue STEM-based educations, as well as to promote women already in those fields. Female engineers are providing mentorship and encouragement to newly graduated women in STEM. And engineering firms are slowly taking note of the lack of diversity in their engineering staffs.

“What we are saying is that the focus [is] on fixing women[,] that women need to change,” says Nadya A. Fouad, a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee professor who co-authored a recent study on the lack of diversity in engineering. “[W]e’re arguing that the environment needs to change.”

Are you a female engineer seeking a position with a structural, forensic, or electrical engineering firm? Let Engineering Search Partners help you find the career of your dreams.

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Half the fun of Halloween is dressing up the house, the yard, and the kids in spooky Halloween garb. The other half? Mischief, of course! April Fool’s Day isn’t the only holiday for office pranks and engineering gags. Halloween offers the perfect opportunity to stretch your prankster muscles and pull off the kind of Halloween tricks only an engineer could think up. Need some ideas? Here are our 3 favorite engineer pranks for Halloween.

1. Carting Around Cars. Just because a prank is common doesn’t mean engineers can’t add a twist of their own. Pranksters – from high school students to professional engineers – love assembling cars in unlikely places. Two of the most impressive car pranks were performed by engineering students: the flying police car on the MIT dome and the car University of British Columbia students managed to suspend from a Vancouver bridge.
2. Eco-Friendly Office Space. When we travel for work, we sometimes feel like we’ve been gone long enough for an entire eco-system to develop in our office. And sometimes – when we work with creative minds– it has. A software engineer in the UK returned from a three-week vacation to find his desk had sprouted a layer of grass. Luckily his coworkers had left his keyboard – a common victim of vegetation pranks – in peace.
3. The World’s Biggest Game of Tetris. Some pranks are so brilliant they light up imaginations for miles around. Such was the case for the MIT Green Building, which engineers converted into a giant, playable Tetris board using LED lighting. Passersby could show off their Tetris skills by using an input panel across the street, which controlled the colored LEDs to create the most innovative game of Tetris to date.

Does inventing the world’s biggest game of Tetris get the cogs in your brain turning? Fill out our Career Wish List and let Engineering Search Partners find you the structural or electrical engineering job of your prankster dreams.

photo from flickr

First the skinny craze hit women’s fashion magazines. Then it migrated to smartphones and personal computers. Now the skinny fad has a new target: skyscrapers. Breakthroughs in structural engineering technology have led to a number of innovations in twenty-first century construction. Thanks to the creativity of designers and architects, we can now build 3D printed structures, self-sustaining buildings, and more. So why have skinny structures suddenly boomed in popularity?

Skinny Appeal

It’s not hard to ascertain why skinny skyscrapers are a trend among engineers. Accounting for the height of these matchstick buildings without spreading a broad foundation has taken some serious ingenuity. The engineers of One Madison Park in NYC, for example, designed a support system that utilizes rooftop liquid mass dampers and shear walls embedded in the core of the structure. Skinny skyscrapers hold appeal for developers as well. These innovative city buildings allow developers to create big profits with a miniscule amount of property. They’re easy to market, too. Not only do businesses, renters, and buyers appreciate the rare quality of this new building fad, developers can market skinny skyscrapers as an opportunity to quite literally touch the clouds.

Skinny Structures

Although skinny skyscrapers are a relatively new phenomenon, the idea has taken root in cities across the globe. New York, Melbourne, and Hong Kong  have all seen the benefits of these tall, narrow structures.

• In addition to One Madison Park, New York City is developing the 111 West 57th Street building, an engineering marvel with a projected 1:23 aspect ratio that will tower nearly 100 feet over the Empire State Building.
• Melbourne’s first skinny tower, Phoenix Apartments – just 22 feet wide and 80 feet deep – uses a water ballast tank on the roof to lend stability in high winds.
• DLN Architects & Engineers have taken Hong Kong’s skinny structures and tall towers to a new height. At 75 stories (70 of which contain liveable space) the Highcliff building is the tallest all-residential structure in the city.

Do structural engineering marvels get your gears turning? Call Engineering Search Partners to find an the engineering career that will stimulate your creativity and utilize your skills to the fullest.

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When you hire an engineering recruitment firm to handle your headhunting, it takes enormous pressure off your HR team. A good recruiting firm will find your company an engineer who fits the practical needs of the position as well as the broader culture of the office. At Engineering Search Partners, we excel at finding the ideal candidate for niche positions in the structural, forensic, and electrical engineering sectors. But just because we’re handling the hard stuff doesn’t mean engineering firms can push staffing to the back burner. Firms can make the transition smoother for new hires by being honest, specific, and flexible about their hiring needs.

Ask For What You Need

When looking for qualified candidates for high level engineering positions, many companies find themselves buried under entry-level applicants and recent grads. And while it’s true that some job searchers might apply even if they lack the proper qualifications, the problem is often caused by the hiring firm. Before advertising an fresh engineering opportunity, a firm’s HR team should determine what the position entails and clearly articulate the required skill sets in the job description. A good job description will:

• Attract the right candidates
• Provide a reference for candidates to research similar careers
• Give potential employees insight into training and job expectations
• Lay the groundwork for future performance evaluations

Look Outside the Box

Sometimes a candidate will come along who just clicks with the needs of a hiring firm, even if he doesn’t match up on paper. Engineering Search Partners excels at reading between the lines of a CV to understand what skills and experiences each candidate brings to the table. When firms are unable to look past a set list of qualifications, excellent engineers can slip through the cracks. Before saying “no” to a potential employee based on a checklist of structural engineering experiences, investigate how their skills might make them a good fit for the position.

Are you struggling to find qualified candidates for a structural engineering position? Let Engineering Search Partners research and approach qualified candidates who suit the unique skills necessary to excel within your company.

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“Company culture” is the business buzzword of the last few years. Job seekers hunt for that elusive office culture that will meld their skills, working style, and preferred perks into one ideal job. And not for nothing. Research shows that office culture affects employee productivity, career longevity, and overall job satisfaction. So how can engineering firms optimize the benefits of a strong company culture?

Use Company Culture to Drive Business

In a world where company culture can mean anything from a shared business drive to office nap time, many employers find it difficult to create a strong working environment. Company culture can change drastically based on industry, demographic, and company values. Start developing a strong culture at your engineering firm by focusing on goals rather than how to achieve them.

1. Shared Values. No matter how many foosball tables you buy for the break room, company culture comes down to values. Determine the ethics, outreach opportunities, and business goals that motivate your engineering firm. Hire engineers with similar values and skills to support your company’s core values.

2. Strong Workplace Relationships. Innumerable studies have proven the benefits of developing strong relationships in the workplace. Employees who bond with their co workers work harder, focus better, and are more productive long-term than professionals who work alone. Create an environment that fosters friendship, mentorship, and friendly competition between engineers.

3. Creating a Dynamic Working Environment. Like most creative-minded individuals, engineers thrive in dynamic working environments. Push your engineering team toward success by allowing collaboration, creativity, and opportunities for growth within each position.

Engineering Search Partners can help you hire structural engineers that enhance your corporate culture. For more information on finding skilled, dynamic engineering candidates, contact our experienced recruitment team.

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